Within the town, the Beeches Road houses are two examples of high-status housing excavated in Cirencester.

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Artist's impression of what the two Beeches Road houses may have looked like in the 4th century. (Artist: Ivan Lapper)

Excavations in the 1970s revealed the outline of two houses and associated buildings. The houses probably looked more like villas, rather than the type of house normally seen in Roman towns. Both houses also have their own series of outbuildings which in many ways resemble agricultural buildings which would normally have been found in the countryside.

An outline plan of the excavations at Beeches Road showing the foundations of the two houses.

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The houses were probably built in the late 3rd to early 4th century AD. The larger of the two houses had a heating system, a bath suite and 16 rooms, 12 of which had mosaic floors, the most important of which is the Hare mosaic.

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The Hare mosaic found at the Beeches Road site. The mosaic is now mounted on the wall at the Corinium Museum, Cirencester. Click to see a photograph of its excavation.

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